A method for ascertaining a leakage in a hydraulic braking system of a motor vehicle, the braking system including at least one hydraulically actuatable wheel brake, at least one pressure generator and at least one discharge valve which is assigned to the wheel brake and actuated as a function of a driving situation of the motor vehicle to maintain driving stability, and a hydraulic volume of the braking system being monitored. It is provided that the leakage is ascertained as a function of the ascertained hydraulic volume and as a function of an actuation of the discharge valve.

Monitoring the brake performance of a brake system of a machine (vehicle 11) by determining a brake delay between input of a request for a brake engagement of the brake system and brake system effectuating the brake engagement. The brake delay determination provides for capturing delay produced by communication of the input from a brake input, actuation of an input to brake system performance, processing of operation of the brake system, and operation of the brake/retardation components of the brake system with respect to the machine's wheels. For autonomous machines, brake delay may be measured periodically and used in monitoring brake system performance.

Monitoring the brake performance of a brake system of a machine (vehicle 11) by determining a brake delay between input of a request for a brake engagement of the brake system and brake system effectuating the brake engagement. The brake delay determination provides for capturing delay produced by communication of the input from a brake input, actuation of an input to brake system performance, processing of operation of the brake system, and operation of the brake/retardation components of the brake system with respect to the machine's wheels. For autonomous machines, brake delay may be measured periodically and used in monitoring brake system performance.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Also disclosed are various techniques to utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

Examples of systems and methods for locating movable objects such as carts (e.g., shopping carts) are disclosed. Such systems and methods can use dead reckoning techniques to estimate the current position of the movable object. Various techniques for improving accuracy of position estimates are disclosed, including compensation for various error sources involving the use of magnetometer and accelerometer, and using vibration analysis to derive wheel rotation rates. Also disclosed are various techniques to utilize characteristics of the operating environment in conjunction with or in lieu of dead reckoning techniques, including characteristic of environment such as ground texture, availability of signals from radio frequency (RF) transmitters including precision fix sources. Such systems and methods can be applied in both indoor and outdoor settings and in retail or warehouse settings.

The present invention relates to, for example, a vehicle control device including a driving force control unit that controls a driving force generated by a wheel of a vehicle; and a braking force control unit that controls a braking force generated by the wheel; where the driving force control unit generates the driving force of a first prescribed amount and the braking force control unit generates the braking force of a second prescribed amount to control the speed of the vehicle to be constant; and acceleration or deceleration are both controllable by performing one of control of the driving force by the driving force control unit and control of the braking force by the braking force control unit.

The present invention relates to, for example, a vehicle control device including a driving force control unit that controls a driving force generated by a wheel of a vehicle; and a braking force control unit that controls a braking force generated by the wheel; where the driving force control unit generates the driving force of a first prescribed amount and the braking force control unit generates the braking force of a second prescribed amount to control the speed of the vehicle to be constant; and acceleration or deceleration are both controllable by performing one of control of the driving force by the driving force control unit and control of the braking force by the braking force control unit.

A system and method are provided for estimating and applying vehicle tire traction. Vehicle data (e.g., movement and location-based data) and tire sensor data are collected at a vehicle and transmitted to a remote computing system (e.g., cloud server). A wear status is determined, and traction characteristics determined for at least one tire, based at least on the vehicle data and the determined tire wear status. The predicted tire traction characteristics are transmitted from the remote computing system to an active safety unit associated with the vehicle, or a fleet management system, wherein the recipient is configured to modify vehicle operation settings based on at least the predicted tire traction characteristics. A maximum speed for the vehicle may be defined by the recipient, or a minimum following distance where, e.g., the vehicle is one of multiple vehicles in a defined platoon.

A system and method are provided for estimating and applying vehicle tire traction. Vehicle data (e.g., movement and location-based data) and tire sensor data are collected at a vehicle and transmitted to a remote computing system (e.g., cloud server). A wear status is determined, and traction characteristics determined for at least one tire, based at least on the vehicle data and the determined tire wear status. The predicted tire traction characteristics are transmitted from the remote computing system to an active safety unit associated with the vehicle, or a fleet management system, wherein the recipient is configured to modify vehicle operation settings based on at least the predicted tire traction characteristics. A maximum speed for the vehicle may be defined by the recipient, or a minimum following distance where, e.g., the vehicle is one of multiple vehicles in a defined platoon.

An electronically controlled pneumatic brake system for a vehicle, with a normal brake operating mode (NOM) and a backup brake operating mode (BKM), said system comprising: a front axle brake module (FBM) for providing pneumatic control pressure to the left and right front pneumatic brake actuators (FW-L, FW-R), one or more rear axle brake module (RBM) for providing pneumatic control pressure to the left and right rear pneumatic brake actuators (RW-L, RW-R), a trailer brake interface (5), an air production module (6) selectively providing air under pressure to said axles electronic brake modules (FBM, RBM) via first and second air supply circuits (AC1,AC2), a trailer relay valve (1), wherein each of the front and rear axle brake modules (FBM, RBM) is controlled by an electrical control signal (NBC, ES1,ES2) under the normal brake operating mode (NOM) and is controlled by a pneumatic backup brake control line (BKC) under the backup brake operating mode (BKM), wherein the output (12) of trailer relay valve is connected to the trailer brake interface (5) under the normal brake operating mode (NOM), and the output (12) of trailer relay valve is connected to the pneumatic backup brake control line (BKC) under the backup brake operating mode (BKM).